1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to those devices that are designed specifically to dry shoes. More specifically, the present invention relates to shoe dryers that can be attached to a drying machine. The present invention utilizes the exhaust heat of the drying machine to which it is attached.
The primary problem associated with drying shoes in an automatic clothes dryer is that the shoes must be dried separately from clothes. Not only is this a waste of time, but it is also a waste of energy. The present invention provides an equitable solution to this problem.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
A number of dryers for shoes have been developed in the past. Most of them involve features that are specifically directed at the drying of the interior of a shoe or boot. A typical shoe dryer is best exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,293 issued to Michael G. Kaffka on September 6, 1988. The Kaffka patent describes a device that can be placed within a ski boot to direct warm air toward the toe of the boot.
Though this application may be particularly applicable in certain circumstances, it is rare that a shoe will get wet at the toe only. For the most part, when shoes get wet, it is the entire shoe that is effected. As a result, it becomes necessary to dry the entire shoe in a quick and convenient manner.
Often, persons who have soaked their shoes will throw them into the drying machine. This is especially true for tennis shoes or sneakers. The problem with this particular method is that shoes cannot often be dried along with clothing. Thus, every cycle used to dry the shoes wastes valuable dryer time. Moreover, the energy waste is not insubstantial.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,197,886 issued to G. R. Brame et. al. on August 3, 1965 offers a partial solution to this problem. Brame describes a dryer attachment that can be used to dry fabrics outside of a drying machine. the device utilizes the exhaust heat from a standard dryer.
Still better than Brame is U.S. Pat. No. 3,256,616 issued to J. M. McGoldrick on June 21, 1968. McGoldrick discloses a dryer attachment specifically adapted to the drying of shoes. The dryer attachment utilizes the exhaust heat to dry shoes in a compartment separate and downstream of the drying machine. McGoldrick adds a nozzle arrangement to dry the toes of the shoes as well as the exterior.
As useful as McGoldrick appears, its function is limited solely to the drying of shoes. The present invention goes a step further than both Brame and McGoldrick. The present invention provides an attachment to a drying machine that can both dry shoes and delicate fabrics. Additionally, the present invention provided a means to deodorize or to add a pleasant scent to the items placed therein.